---Lane's POV---
It was odd, seeing how these people fluttered around me, but with a hint of fear and awe. The doctor had weighed me, measured almost every inch of my body and studied me completely from the tip of my whiskers to the claws on my hind legs.

Isabell had taken great interest in those measurements, especially after she had measured my skull, eyes bulging as she wrote down her findings. "Did Lord Jethro say what the age of his mate was?" She asked the vampire, who was patiently waiting in the room.

"Hmmm, no, he didn't but I'm quite certain that Lane-sama is at the very least mature enough to mate with." She murmured before inclining her head politely in my direction. "Pardon my rudeness, I had forgotten to introduce myself. I am Asami Saito, keeper of records and main secretary of the Council."

I huffed lightly, mostly due to Isabell currently measuring my canines, humming under her breath as she scribbled down everything she found. "Fascinating... judging from his lean build, he's supposedly still maturing and hasn't reached his full size yet. But judging from his skeletal and muscular structure, he's already bigger than any normal tiger."

"What do you mean, Isabell-chan?" Asami asked curiously, coming to stand behind Isabell, her maroon eyes flitting over the measurements before narrowing, reading everything more closely. "Ah-... interesting." I huffed, shaking out my fur as my tongue flicked over my nose.

Asami glanced at me with an apologetic smile before waving to the data Isabell was eagerly putting in her computer. "The average size of a Siberian tiger's skull when fully matured would be thirteen to fifteen inches. Yours is already reaching past fifteen inches, slowly heading to sixteen."

And that means.... what exactly?

I just stared at them, unable to communicate with them in this form and not allowed to shift back unless Jethro was by my side.

They didn't seem to understand my building frustration but I simply sighed and relaxed. I was quite certain they'd at least inform Jethro about their findings.

They spent several more minutes stretching limbs and measuring even my canines before Isabell released me with a disappointed huff on Asami's command.

"It's time to return Lane-sama. I'm quite certain you have more than enough data to file in his record. Unless you want to explain to Lord Jethro-sama why you are detaining his mate longer than proper?" Asami teased Isabell, who quickly paled and shook her head.

"N-No, I have more than enough." Isabell squeaked, though I could tell by the hungry gleam in her eyes that she wanted more data. "Could you perchance ask Lord Jethro on my behalf, if he is willing to let me research his mate some more?"

Asami cocked one impeccable eyebrow at Isabell, who seemed to rethink her statement before shame colored her cheeks.

"Lane-sama is standing right in front of you and is a living, breathing being. Not a little science project to be borrowed to combat boredom." Asami said scolding Isabell before she clicked her tongue. "Just imagine Lord Jethro's reaction to such a boorish and inane question."

I could just about anticipate what Jethro's reaction would be, to someone else treating me as property. Property that they deemed free for the taking.

Even Isabell cringed, lowering her head demurely. "I beg your pardon, Lord Lane. I didn't think before speaking. My only wish was to find out more about the information I've just learned."

Asami didn't give the woman another moment of her attention and instead politely ushered me out the door. "Honestly Isabell didn't mean anything by it, she just needs to mind her manners and not let her instincts take over."

She clacked her tongue once more, shaking her head though I could tell she did so with affection. "At times Isabell can be like a toddler, eager to get her hands on anything new and shiny. Please don't take offense, Lane-sama."

I chuffed, because what else was I supposed to do? My tail flicked through the air as we approached the double doors, guarded by two werewolves, perhaps even Lycans.

Both their eyes bulged slightly as they took me in before they managed to regain their composure, opening the doors so we could enter.

Jethro instantly captured all my attention and I chuffed in greeting, quickening my pace to bunt my head against his leg and hip.

He chuckled and scratched his fingers through my neck fur whilst I circled around him, laying down to show my submission to him.

It was only then that my attention was drawn to the massive vampire that was observing us with keen eyes. Even Asami was standing beside the man, smiling gently. As I glanced around the room, I snorted, smelling the growing putrid fear of the small pack of wolves huddled to one side.

In fact, I could recognize two of their scents, wolves that had trespassed on our territory. The rest of the Council members, men and women, were all watching with curiosity, some even with a warm smile.

I doubted that Jethro ever showed them the caring side of himself. My eyes nearly closed on their own as Jethro's fingers scratched at my throat, deepening the purrs to the point where I was nearly drooling.

Jethro chuckled, pressing a kiss on the tip of my nose before he let me go. My tail automatically curled around his leg before Jethro sighed. "I assume that the feline representative has been contacted?"

Asami nodded once. "He is on his way along with a few more of his kind. They are hoping that some of them would qualify as representatives themselves, in case we need more than one."

A soft snort escaped me before I shook my fur, trying to imagine whom exactly of the pride would be remotely considered appropriate enough to become a representative?

My eyes landed on Curtis for a moment and I had to fight myself not to snort or snarl in his direction. So this was the man that called himself an Alpha and tried to have his offspring killed, simply because he couldn't keep it in his pants?

Jethro snorted above me, drawing my attention. He chuckled, winking at me with amusement as he said, "That about sums it up, pet." He replied, making me realize that I had unknowingly projected my thoughts to him.

"Well Lord Jethro? Do I get the honor of being introduced to your mate?" The vampire asked cheekily, somehow staying rather respectful yet treating Jethro more like old friends would.

"I don't have a choice, now do I?" Jethro snorted good-naturedly before motioning me on my feet. "Lane, this is Alaric Tepes. One of several Vampire Council members and current representative of the Vampire Covens in Romania."

I chuffed in greeting, seeing how Jethro hadn't stated he wanted me to shift back, nor would he have liked it if I had bared myself for the entire group to see.

"Indeed kitten. Good boy." He purred in my mind, making me shiver and twitch my tail for a moment.

Alaric approached with a wide grin, slowly circling around my form with curiosity in his eyes. "I'm willing to bet half of my great-uncle Vlad's fortunes that he isn't just a tiger." The vampire said thoughtfully.

"I mean hell, back in the day I had fun tracking down tigers for an exhilarating hunt but none of those were as big as him." Alaric hummed, "Even if those were only animals and not shifters, I've never seen a feline shifter quite this big. Asami-"

The female vampire was already smiling politely as she spoke gently, "Isabell is currently investigating the nature of Lane-sama's shift and will notify us as soon as she's absolutely certain of her findings. At the moment, she only has speculations."

"Such as?"

My ear flicked, suppressing a chuckle as I realized everyone was ignoring Curtis and his gaggle of shaking mutts. And he wasn't liking that one bit.

"Oh, she had several ideas, some more absurd than others. For a moment, Isabell had considered Lane-sama to be a Nue, a Japanese Yokai, but he's missing several key features to even remotely resemble such a being." Asami chuckled, an almost bell like sound before she grew more serious.

"There are some signs to a theory that seems plausible but-"Asami was rudely interrupted by Curtis scoffing, "Does it matter what the cat is? Why isn't it being punished for causing the death of one of my pack members?!"

Jethro sighed with annoyance, a sentiment many of us shared, as most of the council turned to the angered Alpha with a raised eyebrow.

He had to be moronic to draw the attention back on his ridiculous case.

I saw master's lip twitch for a second before he looked Curtis dead in the eye. "Are you saying you want my mate prosecuted for defending our territory against intruders on my command?"

Jethro turned fully towards Curtis as he added, "Intruders you sent on my territory to get rid of your pup, which was born out of mating? Most likely to frame me for the pup's disappearance so you had something to yap about to the Council?"

Curtis mouth opened and closed like a fish, unable to produce any sound beyond a slight croaking.

Jethro leaned in, using a clawed finger to raise Curtis' head so they were at eyelevel. "Go ahead, keep threatening my mate for defending what was ours. Keep pressing your luck and play with fire, pup. But if you wish to have a pack to return to, you'll learn to shut your mouth and do as you're told."

Silence clung to the air after Jethro's venomous hiss, the Alpha paling and puffing air as if it was running out before he muttered, "You.. you're threatening...you-"

My master shut him up quickly by raising his finger a tad higher, digging his claw in Curtis' chin. "According to the Council's agreed upon law regarding mates, I have full rights to defend what is mine."

"You have targeted my mate physically and verbally multiple times now. If you think I'll let that slide, oh pup, you're sorely mistaken."

"I'm giving you one last chance, Curtis. One chance to use whatever lone braincell is left in here." He said with a flick to Curtis' forehead as fear started to pulse through the room.

The Council didn't make any move to come to Curtis' aid as Jethro slowly started to circle the wolf, like the predator he was.

"I'm letting the Council decide your faith as a show of trust between us. But one more word aimed at my mate and I swear, I will fly back to your miserable pack and burn it down before you can run there with your tail between your legs."

Smoke escaped Jethro's nostrils as he glared down at the Alpha. "I will keep your mate for last, waiting for you to arrive before I'll feast on her ashes. This is my one and only warning, Curtis. Stop messing with what is mine."

"Do I make myself clear?" Jethro asked, voice deadly as he stopped in front of Curtis. The Alpha didn't need to respond to my mate and master.

The growing wet spot on the front of his pants was an answer enough.